BOGOTA – The president of Colombia has pledged to continue negotiating with different sectors of the public and civic organizations which participated in the referendum that shut down a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

After the tight victory of the “no” campaign over the “yes” in the plebiscite on Oct. 2, Juan Manuel Santos insisted the national government, opposition representatives and FARC will work with the public to reach a consensus to end 52 years of armed conflict in the country.

“With the former presidents (Alvaro) Uribe and (Andres) Pastrana, we established procedures for receiving proposals. We are awaiting these advances,” Santos said.

Speaking on Wednesday, the same day that some 10,000 Colombians marched in Bogota in support of peace, the president told victims of FARC violence that “their rights are at the core of the agreement.”

Santos added that he had met with indigenous groups, who had vehemently requested to “carry on with peace.”

The head of state said a solution needs to be met as soon as possible because “uncertainty is the enemy of the process.”

“I will continue listening and collecting concerns for clarification so that we will be able to discuss it at the negotiating table,” he said.

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